Minamoto Takuya: Thanks for the Invite, I'm Not There, but They're All My Legends

When it had not appeared on Akatsuki Organization's list of members, the Raikage had secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had never expected this nightmare to descend upon them once more in such a way.

Gaara's brows furrowed tightly, and a ripple of confusion and memory flashed through his eyes.

Among the vague fragments of his childhood memories, there seemed to have been a shadow connected to that name. But it was too distant and hazy for him to grasp any clear outline.

Was it during the Chunin Exams? That person had participated back then as well...

His expression immediately became complicated. Konoha had lost the Nine-Tails, and he could be considered an accomplice.

Yet confusion appeared in his eyes. Could it be that Namikaze Naruto was not the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?

A similarly complex, unreadable emotion flickered through Mei Terumi's eyes.

She remembered that name just as vividly. They had once hoped that the mysterious Collector would intervene and deal with the controlled Fourth Mizukage, Karatachi Yagura. After all, Yagura had the Three-Tails' chakra sealed within him, which was what the other party wanted.

Yet the help they had eagerly awaited had never come...

Thinking back on it now, perhaps the reason was simple. The Three-Tails' chakra had long since been taken by the Collector?

"Wait, Hokage!" Fourth Raikage A broke the silence.

His rugged brows were tightly furrowed, his eyes fixed squarely on the Hokage. His tone was full of doubt and urgency.

"You only mentioned the Collector just now, but can you be certain he truly isn't a member of Akatsuki? You never gave any definite answer on that!"

The Raikage had seized upon the crucial ambiguity in Minato Namikaze's account.

Ōnoki wore an equally grave expression, his gaze likewise focused on Minato as he said in